Comments on: The Tesla Roadster: “Only the Rich Can Afford It. Should Taxpayers Back It?” http://themoderatevoice.com/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 30 May 2012 17:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-165991 DLS Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:46:08 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/science/transportation/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/#comment-165991 ... Hence, a federal R&D effort toward improved battery technology (or a boosted one) may be in order. Obamanians, take note. (Also take note of fuel cells, and the idea of not only vehicles but "off-grid" self-powered homes in the distant future.) … Hence, a federal R&D effort toward improved battery technology (or a boosted one) may be in order. Obamanians, take note. (Also take note of fuel cells, and the idea of not only vehicles but “off-grid” self-powered homes in the distant future.)

]]> By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-165990 DLS Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:44:38 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/science/transportation/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/#comment-165990 And the generator was there because batteries remain poor, expensive storage devices; this is the killer with wind and solar, which are intermittent. (Effectively, what's needed with any large-scale use of wind or solar is the equivalent of that Honda gas-powered generator, in a highly literal sense -- typically natural gas [not gasoline]-fired power plants are used to add the capacity when it is needed; gas plants are cleaner than goal and are the logical choice for this application, when-the-wind-is-not-blowing-or-the-sun-is-not-shining.) And the generator was there because batteries remain poor, expensive storage devices; this is the killer with wind and solar, which are intermittent. (Effectively, what's needed with any large-scale use of wind or solar is the equivalent of that Honda gas-powered generator, in a highly literal sense — typically natural gas [not gasoline]-fired power plants are used to add the capacity when it is needed; gas plants are cleaner than goal and are the logical choice for this application, when-the-wind-is-not-blowing-or-the-sun-is-not-shining.)

]]> By: GreenDreams http://themoderatevoice.com/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-165936 GreenDreams Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:55:57 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/science/transportation/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/#comment-165936 A friend of mine threw a honda gas powered generator in the trunk of an all electric car, punched through an intake and exhaust to the outside and used the generator only for long trips. Instant hybrid. There is no new technology needed to make electric cars a practical reality. Just the will to do so. A friend of mine threw a honda gas powered generator in the trunk of an all electric car, punched through an intake and exhaust to the outside and used the generator only for long trips. Instant hybrid. There is no new technology needed to make electric cars a practical reality. Just the will to do so.

]]> By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-165920 DLS Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:09:32 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/science/transportation/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/#comment-165920 The answer to the question is No. But for those who want to support it anyway, they should be fair to other companies, such as AC Propulsion, which have been in existence for years. See below. Note that they use the name "tZero" now to refer to their motive power design, no longer to their own roadster that used to be offered under the same name, years ago. (It was a no-show at the EVAA electric vehicle show I attended in 1998 or 1999 when it came to northwestern Atlanta.)<br><br>Note that the much-hyped Chevy Volt itself isn't really that promising. The price is flirting now at around $40,000, and this is for a vehicle whose range is limited. (Even "daily driver" vehicles are evaluated at purchase or lease time in terms of meeting general-purpose needs, including the ability to engage in inter-city travel over longer distances.) I haven't learned yet what the recharging time will be for the Volt, but a serious electric vehicle needs not only to have a gasoline-equivalent range but a recharging time comparable to refueling time for a gasoline vehicle, or no more than what people would tolerate waiting in line or in a waiting room, say 20 to 30 minutes at most. I suspect the Volt is inferior in recharging speed as well as in its range, in addition to being costly. The answer to the question is No. But for those who want to support it anyway, they should be fair to other companies, such as AC Propulsion, which have been in existence for years. See below. Note that they use the name “tZero” now to refer to their motive power design, no longer to their own roadster that used to be offered under the same name, years ago. (It was a no-show at the EVAA electric vehicle show I attended in 1998 or 1999 when it came to northwestern Atlanta.)

Note that the much-hyped Chevy Volt itself isn't really that promising. The price is flirting now at around $40,000, and this is for a vehicle whose range is limited. (Even “daily driver” vehicles are evaluated at purchase or lease time in terms of meeting general-purpose needs, including the ability to engage in inter-city travel over longer distances.) I haven't learned yet what the recharging time will be for the Volt, but a serious electric vehicle needs not only to have a gasoline-equivalent range but a recharging time comparable to refueling time for a gasoline vehicle, or no more than what people would tolerate waiting in line or in a waiting room, say 20 to 30 minutes at most. I suspect the Volt is inferior in recharging speed as well as in its range, in addition to being costly.

]]> By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-165919 DLS Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:43:55 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/science/transportation/24721/the-tesla-roadster-%e2%80%9conly-the-rich-can-afford-it-should-taxpayers-back-it%e2%80%9d/#comment-165919 From the critics at The Truth About Cars<br><br><a href="http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?s=tesla" rel="nofollow">http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?s=tesla</a> From the critics at The Truth About Cars

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?s=tesla

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